1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bowls, and more specifically to animal feeding bowls that are disposed for easy human manipulation while thwarting an animals ability to overturn or otherwise seize the bowls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bowls have existed for a long time and serve many different functions. Generally, the types of bowls within the scope of this invention include feeding and watering bowls for animals, such as dogs, cats, and farm animals.
There are many types of dog and cat bowls in the prior art. Most are molded hard plastic formed to define a cavity having a generally square or circular shape when viewed from above. Some prior art bowls have two cavities to contain both food and water for the animal. Typically the bowls are integrally formed wherein an inner wall defining the cavity is contiguous with a rim at the top of the cavity and the rim is contiguous with an exterior wall that terminates in a base edge that rests on the ground. In any event, the sides of the bowls, both around the inner cavity and the outer perimeter, are smooth and outwardly sloping from the rim to prevent the bowls from being grasped by an animals teeth. In other words, the sloped or flared smooth sides of the bowl hinder an animal from manipulating the bowl, i.e., overturning, picking up, etc., by biting down over the rim of the bowl.
It is generally most desirable to utilize hard plastic or a similarly hard material to prevent animals from biting or otherwise gripping the bowls. Alternative embodiments of prior art bowls are formed of stainless steel to prevent corrosion. Prior art bowls may also be fabricated of heavy clay for decorative purposes. Due to the added weight of the clay, such bowls are generally less susceptible to overturning, but more difficult for humans to manipulate.
Typically, prior art bowls can be grasped for manipulation by humans in several different ways. On the rim of a bowl, one can apply downward pressure with a thumb while using one of the other fingers to grasp the base edge of the bowl. Generally, this method is most effective when one's finger nails are long enough to slide between the base edge of the bowl and the ground so that the fingernails can be used in a lifting movement. A drawback to this method of manipulation is that one is apt to get miscellaneous debris, such as animal food or dirt, under one's fingernails. Another method for manipulating bowls is to use the thumb and at least one other finger in a pinching action, wherein one appendage is placed against the inner wall of the cavity and the other appendage is placed against the exterior wall of the bowl. A drawback to this method is that one is forced to place at least one appendage against the inside wall, where there is likely to be food, water, or some other viscous material adhering to the bowl. Not only is this undesirable from a sanitary standpoint, but this debris is likely to reduce the friction between the bowl and the finger's such that the bowl may be dropped.
One common feature of many prior art bowls is a raised lip around the outer perimeter of the bowl. This lip aids in grasping and manipulating the bowl by providing a protrusion around which a person can get one's finger or thumb. A drawback to such a feature is that it also serves as a protrusion around which an animal can easily maneuver a tooth or paw, permitting the animal to grasp or overturn the bowl. Similar protrusions, such as handles and the like, are also characterized by this same drawback. In addition, such features protruding generally from the bowl require additional space for deployment of the bowl.